June 30, 2008

Television's generation & gender gaps

Source: David Dale, Sun Herald blogs

If men and women could only unite, Australia might get some stimulating
television in the second half of this year. But they can't, so we're
stuck with the programming preferred by viewers aged over 55 -- the
time of life when, apparently, the sexes are most similar.

Last week this column pointed out that the seniors are the biggest consumers of
TV, while the groovers watch the least (37 per cent of prime time
viewing is by people over 55, up from 32 per cent in 2003; 28 per cent
is by people 16-39, down from 30 per cent in 2003).

So the network that wins the year will be the one with the geriatric
appeal. Off the back of a truck has fallen some fascinating research
about the age of viewers for each station's most popular shows this
year. The median age of Australians is 37, which is to say that half
the population is older than 37 and half is younger. But the median age
of viewers for most top programs is well above the national figure.
Half the people who regularly watch Today Tonight, for example, are over 54. What you're about to read suggests that TV is, to put it politely, a mature medium.

So there's not much point in the programmers trying to appeal to the
half of Australia that is under 37. They rarely watch the box.

Lets look at the other great niche that has traditionally excited
the networks - viewers aged 25-54. Could a smart programmer gain by
focusing on their sophisticated tastes? Only if men and women
were prepared to sit in front of the same set. Here's how the sexes
consumed TV over the past month: